Topic: The Best and Worst of College Courses (Read 7744 times)

Chris · « **on:** October 08, 2008, 07:38:06 PM »

For those of you who are currently enrolled, or have been enrolled in college, what were the best and the worst college courses that you took, and what made them so?

Let me start off with my worst college course that I have taken to date:
Sociology 101. I somewhat attribute this to the professor not doing a great job explaining course concepts in much detail. I wouldn't classify this as being an utterly useless, waste of time, why the hell did I take it course, but it could have been a lot better had the professor been better at conveying key concepts to the students.

Let me paint a mental picture in your head of this professor. Imagine a woman in her mid 40s who has chocolate-cherry red hair, is morbidly obese with lunch lady arms and is a hard core feminist who takes advantage of every chance that she can get to say how women are always being discriminated against. Furthermore, she had only been teaching for several years prior, and was an attorney before being a professor of sociology, and before that she had a slew of other jobs that were unrelated to her professional careers (Such as an ice cream shop).

I attribute her inexperiences of teaching, as well as her non-stop, in your face feminist views to making the class dull, boring, and basically not worth remembering.

On the other hand, there are several classes that I think have made my life different as a result of the knowledge that I have gained out of them:

Take for instance astronomy. I'm still taking this course right now, and I can tell you that already after a month and a half of the course I have learned A LOT about the sky above us, and why things are the way that they are. I'm not claiming that I live my life differently because I know more about the stars, but I feel as though actual use can come from the information in the event that I were to get lost in the woods somewhere.

Another course that I took that I consider to have added value to my life was the second English course that I took during my freshman year. The course covered writing formal research papers, the MLA format that most college professors require you to abide by, as well as how to properly cite sources in papers. The professor was also very enthusiastic and took pride in what he was teaching to his students.

So, for those who have taken college classes before, what are yours?

BizB · « **Reply #1 on:** October 08, 2008, 09:34:18 PM »

My favourite course was one of the hardest courses that I took. It was difficult because it challenged both the left and right side of the brane in the same course. The course was a 200 level biology course that taught biology from the view of a philosopher. It was a very interesting course and at the last class before the final exam - the class that most people skip - the professor stood at the front of the class and said...

"If you come to my exam, you're in for one of the hardest tests you will ever take. If, however, you happen to be sitting in this room at this present moment, you're not required to take the test. Only those who were arrogant enough to believe that they didn't need the review and chose to skip this class will be taking the test. In fact, I would like to tell you before you leave today that everything that you learned in this class is bull-shit that I made up. The 'text book' (he used air quotes) that I wrote and made you purchase was BS that I pieced together one summer when I was bored and going through a divorce. So, fill out your class/professor evaluation; put it in the envelope that Mr. So-and-So (a classmate) is holding on your way out, and enjoy your free time while those who skipped this particular class sit through one of the hardest tests ever."

I suppose the class that I hated the most was an art-appreciation class... all right brane. Though, according to this test I am more right brane than left. Whatever with that.

Novice · « **Reply #2 on:** October 08, 2008, 10:37:13 PM »

My most hated course (so far) is Physics 314 hands down which I'm enroled in right now. I took 313 from an excellent professor who made the class interesting, funny, and even enjoyable to be in. Perhaps this is one reason why I cannot stand my 314 class.

The professor does nothing but confuse us and has a terrible time staying on target with his lectures. He will start a problem, get down to the last bit of algebra, and stop. Many professors do that to save time; however, this one does it because he has the wrong answer. We've caught him many times. The other thing is that he gives no partial credit. We have a test every monday with about 4 questions each worth 5 points. If you get one part of the question wrong, it's -5. So, on the tests you can only get 100%, 75%, or an 'F'.

As far as my best course, I would have to say something like Calc III. It was based more on theory and comes pretty easy. If I wasn't in the field I am now I'd be math major.

Joe Sixpack · « **Reply #3 on:** October 09, 2008, 09:40:20 AM »

I'm actually a believer in no partial credit, but then again I like math. You either answered the question or you didn't. Why should you get partial credit if you didn't answer the question correctly?

tweek · « **Reply #4 on:** October 09, 2008, 01:45:16 PM »

I've got a course to bitch about later. I've got to go off to class right now. Before I leave though, my school offers a class called "Football Theory." There's a similar course for basketball. I think both are aimed at people who come to a $30K+ per year school to become high school coaches. I've got a grudge against people who go to college to play sports. If you're one of those people, don't take it personally. I'm just bitter about how funds are distributed in schools.

Novice · « **Reply #5 on:** October 09, 2008, 05:01:24 PM »

Quote from: Joe Sixpack on October 09, 2008, 09:40:20 AM

I'm actually a believer in no partial credit, but then again I like math. You either answered the question or you didn't. Why should you get partial credit if you didn't answer the question correctly?

Let me clarify.

Lets say in problem 1a you are asked to calculate the potential or voltage of a circuit containing two capacitors. Then for problem 1b and 1c you are asked to calculate the charge held in b) capacitor 1 and c) capacitor 2.

If you got the potential wrong, you couldn't do the charge (q = CV). Regardless of if you knew the equation and did the calculations right, all 5 points for question 1 would be counted off.

Perhaps that doesn't change your opinion, but just wanted to back myself up.

pbsaurus · « **Reply #6 on:** October 10, 2008, 01:41:56 PM »

I loved most of my MBA courses (with the exception of HR management but that was more teacher than anything) and the Unex Biotech Management certificate courses. But for a more general audience, in my undergraduate years,

Loved Psych 137 Altered States of Consciousness
Loved Philosophy (forgot number) of Phenomenology
Loved Nematology 110
Hated Psych 135 Psychology of Consciousness- Worst prof evar!
Hated Rhetoric 1 -Worst grad student teacher evar!
Hated Bacteriology-another crappy prof and this was back in '86 before much was known in the area. When I took it again for my Biotech Management Cert, it was fascinating and a much better book and Prof.

12AX7 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 10, 2008, 03:41:28 PM »

Quote from: tweek on October 09, 2008, 01:45:16 PM

I'm just bitter about how funds are distributed in schools.

Hear hear.
Although I wouldn't hold my breath. The sports make money for the school. Nothing else brings in comparable funds; so, chances are it'll always be that way.

Joe Sixpack · « **Reply #8 on:** October 13, 2008, 12:24:47 PM »

Quote from: Novice on October 09, 2008, 05:01:24 PM

Let me clarify.

Lets say in problem 1a you are asked to calculate the potential or voltage of a circuit containing two capacitors. Then for problem 1b and 1c you are asked to calculate the charge held in b) capacitor 1 and c) capacitor 2.

If you got the potential wrong, you couldn't do the charge (q = CV). Regardless of if you knew the equation and did the calculations right, all 5 points for question 1 would be counted off.

Perhaps that doesn't change your opinion, but just wanted to back myself up.

Sounds like you got all 3 answers wrong...

tweek · « **Reply #9 on:** October 14, 2008, 08:35:57 PM »

Quote from: 12AX7 on October 10, 2008, 03:41:28 PM

Hear hear.
Although I wouldn't hold my breath. The sports make money for the school. Nothing else brings in comparable funds; so, chances are it'll always be that way.

Yeah, I know. Before I got here, my school was slowly bleeding to death. The new president instituted a plan to get it going again. It came in two phases. 1: Build up the sports programs to boost enrollment. 2: Use the money from the boost in enrollment to fix up the academics. It seems to be working except for the fact that many of the athletes who come here to play D3 sports aren't the brightest. It's annoying to be at school with people who don't want to learn. They just want to play sports and drink. I'm all for saving the school I'm at; I just wonder when sports and academics became so intertwined that one needs the other to continue.

Red · « **Reply #10 on:** October 15, 2008, 09:19:04 PM »

Quote from: Chris on October 08, 2008, 07:38:06 PM

Sociology 101. I somewhat attribute this to the professor not doing a great job explaining course concepts in much detail. I wouldn't classify this as being an utterly useless, waste of time, why the hell did I take it course, but it could have been a lot better had the professor been better at conveying key concepts to the students.

Is there any university or college where Soc 101 isn't a waste of every resource it uses? I haven't taken it here, but every who leaves the classes room looks like they are slowly dying inside.

So far, my experience has been pretty good, although Philosophy makes me want to buy a brick. A nice heavy brick.
Not so heavy that I can't lift it, but decent enough so that if I lob it at the stupid pompous moron who sits diagonal from me who fancies himself real clever but actually just goes off on tangents and spurts moronic theories in vocabulary that makes him sound like he ate a thesaurus for breakfast.
Yeah. I really don't like him.

Chris · « **Reply #11 on:** October 16, 2008, 01:10:12 AM »

I shoulder press 85 pound dumbbells for breakfast.

ivan · « **Reply #12 on:** October 16, 2008, 01:47:39 PM »

Best: "Thou beslubbering shag-eared malignancy!"

Worst: "Thou poopie-head!"

ivan · « **Reply #13 on:** October 16, 2008, 01:48:09 PM »

Oh, I thought it said CURses.

Never mind.

pbsaurus · « **Reply #14 on:** October 17, 2008, 04:27:44 PM »

Come on, worst?

The wurst curse would be something like "don't be a brat you polish wiener!"

Joe Sixpack · « **Reply #15 on:** October 17, 2008, 06:31:37 PM »

Are you always so frank?

pbsaurus · « **Reply #16 on:** October 20, 2008, 11:57:40 AM »

How would you know?...unless you've been casing me.

Demosthenes · « **Reply #17 on:** October 21, 2008, 10:58:49 AM »

Quote from: pbsaurus on October 20, 2008, 11:57:40 AM

How would you know?...unless you've been casing me.

I think Pb is the weiner in this particular contest.

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Author Topic: The Best and Worst of College Courses (Read 7744 times)

12AX7